Floor of a garden jacuzzi gazebo – a triple challenge

The flooring material had to satisfy three basic conditions – durability, load bearing and safety. A fourth, more subjective condition called upon the customer's aesthetic requirements. The plastic had to be durable to ensure good attachment to the surface and to survive intact despite difficult weather conditions and being left to its own devices out of season.

The floor also had to withstand a tub with water and three people, a weight of more than 1500 kg – and this required a material with high load bearing parameters. The third challenge was to eliminate the risk of slipping on a wet floor, injury against a sharp corner, burning by touching a hot surface or splinters. The floor had to be non-slip but also pleasant for the foot in terms of smoothness, hardness and temperature.

Stone, concrete, ceramics… or perhaps composite wood?

Four materials were in the running – granite, concrete, ceramics and composite wood. Ceramic tiles were the first to be rejected by our customer – due to the risk of them becoming detached from the substrate, heating up excessively through exposure to the sun and becoming slippery when wet. Granite slabs were appreciated for their durability and load bearing – however lost out when it came to safety (no resistance to becoming excessively hot and slippery). Concrete blocks came close to winning, as these satisfied most of the customer's requirements – however aesthetic qualities played their part here.

In the end the customer opted for composite wood. It delivered the required load bearing capacity, durability regardless of the weather conditions (also in winter and out of season when no one was looking after the gazebo) and safety – including low decking board flammability and heat accumulation, no splinters, irregularities or sharp edges. It is also non-slip (more about the properties of composite wood here)

The customer also wanted the floor not to contrast too much with the wooden structure of the gazebo and panelling which covered the tub. Thus the aesthetic factor also played a role in choosing composite wood – as well as the fact that the customer was able to select a decking board colour to match the remaining gazebo elements as closely as possible.

 

From design to the finished product

Once the material was chosen it was time to select a composite wood manufacturer. The customer opted for PVC composite decking boards which are more resistant, healthier and better quality (for a comparison of PVC and HDPE technologies see this article) – and came across Hartika, who only produces PVC composites.

We helped the customer with making the right selections from our range of products (boards, joists, end strips). Then we designed the optimal layout of joists to match the declared load bearing.

 

A cosy retreat

Enchanting mornings, lazy afternoons, magic evenings – the jacuzzi in our customer's garden turned onto a temple of bliss. We visited the gazebo a year after it was built. The flooring is in a pristine condition – it survived the winter without being worse off for it. It passed the load bearing test with flying colours. Our customer was able to start the summer season without interruptions but with a book, a glass of wine, friends and family.

PVC guarantees terrace durability in the European climate zone!

PVC composite boards due to their high resistance, exceptional surface hardness and ease of maintenance are a well-known terrace material used in the construction industry for many years. They are characterized by low abrasiveness - they are resistant to scratches and mechanical damage, they do not absorb moisture and thus do not crumble over the years. Their high resistance to UV radiation means that they do not fade or soften under its influence, and the polymerization process used in their production ensures their strength at low temperatures.

Unlike PVC based composites, PP and HDPE boards are easier to scratch even when used lightly. Their reduced density makes them significantly less resistant to low temperatures. They are also highly susceptible to changes in weather conditions and sunlight - under their influence they deform relatively more easily, crumble, and lose their color. Due to their inherent "softness", their surface is usually sanded or smooth. PVC-based composite boards in order to give them a texture similar to wood have a brushed surface, which reduces their slipperiness, and to the touch creates a pleasant feeling of contact with natural wood.

European manufacturers - safety and protection for the user!

Composites based on polypropylene and polyethylene usually come from countries in the Far East. They are often offered by manufacturers who are not bound by the strict legal restrictions applied by European manufacturers. As a result, the offered products do not have the features of construction products, they are often devoid of hygienic certificates, and their sale is driven by their low price, not the real utility value.

PVC boards have a fire resistance class B defined on the basis of EU standards - indicating non-flammability, in contrast to products containing polymers of reduced durability, which are characterized by fire spreading. PVC-based composite decking is also 100% renewable, which contributes more to environmental protection. Their physical-mechanical properties guarantee a longer useful life, and they do not emit any harmful substances into the environment.

Opt for timeless terrace style and elegance combined with durability!

Due to the presence of petroleum derivatives composite boards basing on PP, PE and HDPE pose a risk of safe use, and the increased content of wood materials reduces their durability. Often after just a few seasons, visible deformation of their working surface can be observed. Planks made of low-grade polymers are also susceptible to color changes and easy to rub off.

The secret to the appearance of composite wood is the properly selected proportions of wood dust in relation to the other components, as well as the high quality materials used in their production. Proper sanding methods prove the hardness of the material, ensuring that composites are safe and non-slip. Thanks to the care given to the quality of PVC boards, they retain their shape and durability and enjoy their beauty for years.